<![CDATA[Spark: Spark Authors ]]>https://elizabethmarro.substack.com/s/spark-authors-and-writing-professionalshttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!IA2X!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7a10fb9f-6dab-4953-bf35-44dc5b95fcde_500x500.pngSpark: Spark Authors https://elizabethmarro.substack.com/s/spark-authors-and-writing-professionalsSubstackThu, 23 Apr 2026 13:36:22 GMT<![CDATA[Introducing Spark authors and their books!]]>https://elizabethmarro.substack.com/p/introducing-spark-authors-and-theirhttps://elizabethmarro.substack.com/p/introducing-spark-authors-and-theirThu, 22 Jun 2023 18:40:31 GMTWelcome!

We are lucky to have many published authors and writing professionals among us. Why not make a place where readers can find new books and writers can find help right here in the Spark community? 

I'm excited to introduce this new space in Spark for the authors among us to introduce themselves and their books so the many readers among us can browse there for their next read. Coming soon: We will also make a space for the professionals among us who help writers with the craft and the business of writing –  editors, writing consultants, readers, etc. – so those who need their help can find them more easily.

Thanks for reading Spark! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

If you are a published author or a someone who helps writers with the craft and/or business of writing (editors, readers, consultants, teachers), we would love to share your work with the rest of our growing community of readers and writers and everyone else who stops by.

Know an author whose books you’d love to see here? Share this post with them. Spark is free for everyone.

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The rules are simple: 

  • Those listed must be Spark subscribers which is easy and free and brings lots of side benefits such as fun weekly discussions and essays about life and the books that help us get through it. If you later unsubscribe, no problem but your listing may be removed as we update.

  • If you are an author, you must have published at least one book - it can be old, new, e-book, audio, or print

  • The book(s) are still available through used/new bookstores, online, or in libraries

To add yourself to either of the lists, click the links below and fill out the simple forms. When we have at least ten folks listed, we’ll make the pages and keep updating them as new folks come in. 

How to browse, things to know

Websites. Each profile below contains the essentials but you can easily find more when you click on the links provided. To get quickly to an author’s website, simply click on their underlined names at the top of the profile.

For Book Clubs. All the authors listed here are available to speak virtually or, if possible, in person with book clubs. To contact an author, click on their name and head to their websites where you will find their email and/or a box to fill out for contacting them.

Where to browse/buy/find. Links will take you our “Authors of Spark” page at Bookclub.org or to the author’s books on Amazon. Most of these books are available wherever books are sold and in both ebook and print formats. Don’t forget to check your library! If you can’t find a book there, ask the library to stock it — this helps support authors and readers.

And now, introducing (in alphabetical order)…

Author: Michelle Collins Anderson

  • Writes: Fiction, Humor, Literary, Historical fiction

  • Books: The Flower Sisters (release date: April 23, 2024) Available for pre-order now.

  • What readers say: “A vivid blend of sensorial writing, historical detail, and memorable characters await on the pages of The Flower Sisters. Poignant, compelling, and surprising, here is an insightful story of the weight of long-held secrets and the resulting hunger for truth.” – Susan Meissner, USA Today bestselling author of Only the Beautiful

  • Akin to: Fannie Flagg, Elizabeth Strout, Kent Haruf

Authors (three co-authors): Jackie Collins, Diana Kinared, Sally Showalter

  • Write: Fiction, Nonfiction, Memoir, Poetry

  • Books: Telling Tales and Sharing Secrets: a narrative of a twenty-five year journey in a writers' group.

  • What readers say: “What happens when committed women write together and respond to one another's writing gently and with insight for over two decades? A lot! Of writing, of tenderness, of life experience, of craft learning, of adventures and personal growth. Telling Tales and Sharing Secrets is a collaborative story shaped from the contributions of three women about their decades in a writing group. Read this book and you will be treated not only to how to craft a meaningful writing group but to the writing they produced from prompts they also share in this book. And there's more: member comments on the writing shared are included, helping the book's readers understand how making an impact through writing is a fortifier for both the reader and the writer. This book is the story of how keeping on writing among a tribe of worthy writers is life-changing, writing-enhancing, and most of all joy-filled because of the commitment and intimacy it fosters. As co-author Sally Showalter writes, "Our friendship is built on a love of stories in all their various shapes, whether they are fiction, non-fiction, political commentary, or memoir." Reading their book, I am honored to experience what these three women writers' friendship produced.” --Sheila Bender, Writing Personal Essays: Shaping and Sharing Your Life Experience, A New Theology: Turning to Poetry in a Time of Grief and Since Then: Poems and Short Prose.

  • Interviews/articles: Tucson Local Media , Writing It Real Newsletter

Author: PJ Colando

  • Writes: Fiction, Humor

  • Books: Stashes, Hashes & Bashes, The Winner's Circle, The Jailbird's Jackpot, I AM… a Character

  • What readers say: “I’ve gotten a boot out of PJ Colando’s weaving of impulse, anxiety, and sexuality among her varied Midwestern characters - with steadfast family values gone awry - and The Jailbird’s Jackpot, the fourth book in the Faith, Family, Frenzy! series doesn’t disappoint. Dismayed by a cynical world gone to hell? Amy, though a felon, will lead you out of hell with laughter and determination.” --Art Plotnik, award-winning author of Spunk and Bite and other tomes on writing

  • Akin to: Fanny Flagg, DP Lyle, Wendall Thomas

  • Interviews/articles: “Planting Lettuce, Reaping Joy” (Spark)

  • Blog: Find weekly updates or subscribe here. 

Author: Sandra de Helen

Author: Stacy Ardis Dyson

Author: Michael Estrin

  • Writes: Fiction, Humor, Mystery/Suspense, Nonfiction

  • Books: Not Safe for Work (Fiction/Humor, Mystery/Suspense); Ride/Share: Micro Stories of Soul, Wit and Wisdom from the Backseat (Nonfiction)

  • What readers say:

    • About Not Safe for Work: "With a reporter’s attention to detail, an uncanny ear for dialogue, and a hilarious dry wit reminiscent of Douglas Adams, Estrin takes us on an unforgettable tour of the porn industry, where a cavalcade of quirky and desperate people validated my decision to become a comedy writer, rather than a pornographer." — Joshua Sternin (The Simpsons, That 70s Show)

    • About Ride/Share: “As a child, Michael Estrin’s parents told him not to talk to strangers. He didn’t listen—and we’re better off for it. In this collection of micro stories, he draws on his experience as a journalist and humorist to discover life through the eyes of ride share drivers in Los Angeles. Full of heart, humor, and insight, each story reveals our shared humanity by giving voice to workers who have otherwise been rendered invisible by technology. This book is the perfect gift for anyone who has ever wondered about the stranger their ride share app assigned to drive them home.”

  • Akin to: Not Safe for Work, fits on a bookshelf next to Carl Hiaasen and Tim Dorsey. Ride/Share is pairs well with David Sedaris.

  • Newsletter: Situation Normal

Author: Julia Carol Folsom

Writes: Fiction, Historical fiction, Romance, Young Adult

Books: Nice Girl

What readers say: "This book is the most authentic description of growing up in a small town in the South in the '60s I have ever read. Not only were the descriptions of place spot on but the emotions of girls and young women desperate to come into their own but restrained by notions of duty to family, guilt and what it requires to be loved, and the double standards of a bygone era. I loved this book and couldn't put it down." - Amazon reviewer.

Akin to: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn; To Kill a Mockingbird; Ellen Foster

Interviews/articles: Has appeared in the following publications: Three Minus One, Talking Writing, Belle Reve Journal, The Voices Project; Algebra of Owls

Author: Marilyn Johnson

Author: Louisa Locke (aka M. Louisa Locke)

Author: Cynthia Newberry Martin

  • Writes: Fiction (Literary)

  • Books: Tidal Flats, Love Like This, The Art of Her Life

  • What readers say: "Love Like This is an astonishment. The novel comes on like a quiet exploration of the empty nest syndrome, but quickly deepens into an exploration of female identity, desire, and the utter unpredictability of love. Cynthia Newberry Martin’s prose is confident, precise, and, when required, as bold as a billboard. The story she’s crafted shocked and delighted me.” —Steve Almond, author of All the Secrets of the World

  • Akin to: Lily King, Anne Tyler, Ann Patchett, Dawn Tripp

  • Interviews/articles: The Rumpus Mentor Series: Cynthia Newberry Martin and Pam Houston

Newsletter/Blog: How We Spend Our Days

Author: Jim Mastro

What readers say: Reading Review called The Talisman of Elam (re-titled as Jason Hunter and the Talisman of Elam) "...a masterpiece of science fiction." Discover magazine named Under Antarctic Ice one of the 20 best science books of the year in 2004.

Akin to: For my fiction, I take inspiration from Tom Robbins, J.K. Rowling, Louis Sachar, Kelly Barnhill, Arthur C. Clarke, David Brin, Christopher Moore, Carl Hiaasen, and Terry Pratchett.

Author: Andrew Merton

Author: Jonathan Posner

Author: Gareth Powell

Gareth Powell

Author: Judy Reeves

Judy Reeves

  • Writes: Nonfiction, Memoir, Writing Craft

  • Books: A Writer's Book of Days; Writing Alone, Writing Together; Wild Women, Wild Voices: Writing From Your Authentic Wildness; When Your Heart Says Go: My Year of Traveling Beyond Loss and Loneliness

  • What readers say:

    • “Any time someone asks me for writing tips — How can I start? What do you do about writer's block? — I suggest they peruse this wonderful compendium of writing lore, empathy, and daily practice.” — Janet Fitch, author of Paint It Black and White Oleander (for a Writer's Book of Days)

    • “Judy Reeves has become a virtual guru for writers everywhere. In Wild Women, Wild Voices, she offers her patented inspiration, exploration, and encouragement. Her passion for writing is evident on every page. We are so lucky to have such an enthusiastic and assured guide on the journey that is the writing life.” — T. Greenwood, author of Bodies of Water, Grace, and Two Rivers (for Wild Women, Wild Voices)

    • “In gentle, gorgeous, and elegiac prose, Judy Reeves pulls the reader into a journey of quiet courage and insight that shines from her paragraphs in this memoir of midlife journey. Against a backdrop of foreign countries, her reverie on recovery—from alcohol, intimate losses, young widowhood—shows emergence in a woman who has spent the thirty years since then guiding others through reflection and self-inquiry. Reeves’ contributions as a teacher of the writing life are known to thousands: this is her origin story.” - —Christina Baldwin, author of Life’s Companion, Storycatcher, and other titles (for When Your Heart Says Go)

Akin to: Natalie Goldberg, Julia Cameron

Newsletter: The Lively Muse

Interviews/articles: “Judy Reeves Thrives on Pleasure Snacks” - Womancake

Author: Joyce Reynolds-Ward

  • Writes: Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction/ Speculative Fiction

  • Books: A Different Life: What If?, Broken Angel: The Lost Years of Gabriel Martiniere, Netwalk, The Heritage of Michael Martiniere, The Enduring Legacy and more

  • What readers say: "That said, readers won’t ever get too settled into a single idea or even the feeling of a single subgenre as Reynolds-Ward deftly juggles conflict, romance, and the core plot throughout. Broken Angel is a well-written story that sucked me in based on its characters and then sustained that interest with plenty of twists and turns and “what’s going on?” moments. Recommended for sci-fi readers looking for something very different from what they’ve read." - A reader

  • Akin to: Ivan Doig, Willa Cather, Lois McMaster Bujold, C.J. Cherryh, Kate Elliott, Mary O'Hara, Craig Johnson

Interviews/articles: Conversations on Hope in the Fantastical: A Conversation with Joyce Reynolds-Ward (Witty and Sarcastic Book Club); Author Interview: Joyce Reynolds-Ward, (Treehouse Writers)

Newsletter: Speculations From the Wide-Open Spaces

Author: Kathleen Rodgers

  • Writes: Fiction (Literary, Mystery/Suspense)

  • Books: The Flying Cutterbucks, Seven Wings to Glory, Johnnie Come Lately, The Final Salute

  • What readers say: "A rousing, timely novel of hope and solidarity among women in a family wounded by the tragedy of war and the trauma of sexual assault. Their resilience gives testament to the power of forgiveness, and the heroism among sisters." --Kathleen Kent, NYT bestselling authorInterviews/articles (about The Flying Cutterbucks

  • Akin to: Fannie Flagg’s Fried Green Tomatoes

  • Interviews/articles: Authors Over 50 (YouTube)

Author: Jim Ruland

Photo by Edward Colver

Author: Robyn Ryle

Author: Jennifer Silva Redmond

Jennifer Silva Redmond

Author: Lisa Stice

  • Writes: Poetry

  • Books: Forces; Permanent Change of Station; Uniform

  • What readers say: “There is so much life in these poems—daily life, and overarching life. As with Sylvia Plath, Louis MacNeice, Natasha Trethewey and others, Stice brings visions of war and peace, violence and tenderness, into the sort of troublesome, necessary contact we should always keep them in.” - Andria Williams, author of The Longest Night, A Novel

  • Akin to: Randy Brown, Eric Chandler, Ciaran Carson

  • Interviews/articles: “The Ever-Changing Normal” (Homefront Journal/Military Spouse Book Review)

Author: Kristen Tsetsi

  • Writes: Fiction, Literary, Science Fiction/ Speculative Fiction

  • Books: The Age of the Child, Pretty Much True, and (under the pen name Chris Jane) The Year of Dan Palace

  • What readers say:

    • About The Age of the Child: "THE AGE OF THE CHILD is no polemic. It's a well-told story of family, friendship, obligation, tribal affiliation and all the complications that come when human instinct collides with authoritarian living." - Jim Thomsen,

    • About Pretty Much True: "As a television news correspondent, I spent years reporting from military bases where young families and lovers were being separated by the decisions of old men. I had never had a better understanding of the agony of military separation until I read Kristen Tsetsi's haunting and lyrical debut novel." - NYT best selling author James C. Moore

  • Akin to: “Readers have said: If you like Jodi Picoult, you'll like The Age of the Child; If you like John Irving, you'll like The Year of Dan Palace; If you'd like a marriage of The Bell Jar and The Things They Carried, you'll like Pretty Much True.”- Kristen Tsetsi

  • Interviews/articles: Interview Pretty Much True: (Boston Small Press and Poetry Scene); Review: The Age of the Child (Journal Inquirer Newspaper); Interview: The Year of Dan Palace (Black Tortoise Press)

  • Newsletter: The Choice (kristentsetsi.substack.com)

Author: Andria Williams

Andria Williams

  • Writes: Fiction, Literary, Historical fiction

  • Books: The Longest Night (2016), The Waiting World (2023)

  • What readers say:

    • “Scintillating . . . A smoldering, altogether impressive debut that probes the social and emotional strains on military families in a fresh and insightful way.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

    • “Andria Williams’s debut is an intimately detailed portrait of love, trust, and guilt in a town—and an era—clouded with secrets.”—Celeste Ng, author of Everything I Never Told You

  • Akin to: Rufi Thorpe, Siobhan Fallon, Betsy Marro, Celeste Ng

  • Newsletter (with Sari Fordham): Cool It!: Simple Steps to Save the Planet.

  • Interviews: Spark Interview Series

And remember, if you know a writer who wants to share their work or a reader looking for a new book, share this post!

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